Rasmus gets rare break from lineup

TORONTO -- Colby Rasmus got a rare day off on Tuesday.

Rasmus was not in the starting lineup for only the second time since May 26, a span of 19 games.

"Keep him fresh," manager John Gibbons said of his outfielder. "Give him a day. He'd been going hard, playing all those games down there [in the heat in Texas]."

Toronto's everyday center fielder had found himself missing a handful of starts earlier in the season when facing left-handers, but that isn't as big of a concern anymore.

Rasmus has started 13 of the club's 19 games against left-handed starters, including six of the last seven.

So far this season, Rasmus is hitting .232 against lefties with two home runs and eight RBIs in 69 at-bats, a substantial improvement from 2012 when he hit .182 with three home runs and 12 RBIs in 154 at-bats.